New Hospital Project Faces Doubts Amid Government Review

A government review of planned expenditures has prompted concerns that the construction of a new hospital might not proceed. Shotley Bridge Hospital in Consett, County Durham, received planning permission in March 2023, having been included in the previous government’s New Hospital Programme. Despite this, construction has not commenced, and the current government is now reviewing the project, leading one local councillor to state, “it hasn’t happened and I fear it never will”. During a council health scrutiny meeting held on Monday, the County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust affirmed its “absolutely committed” stance toward the development. At the same meeting, Liberal Democrat Dominic Haney, who serves as the representative for the Consett South ward on Durham County Council, expressed that he was also “depressed and anxious” regarding the initiative. The proposed plans for the site include a 16-bed in-patient rehabilitation ward and an urgent treatment centre, intended to supersede the existing facility. The Local Democracy Reporting Service has indicated that the development’s costs have escalated, now estimated to be between £50m and £60m. Jane Curry, the trust’s programme manager, stated that the team was operating with “no funds,” which has prevented further advancement of the scheme. She also mentioned that the results of the government’s review are anticipated “in the coming weeks,” though a precise timeline remains undefined. Sue Jacques, the trust’s chief executive, emphasized the necessity for a “plan B” for the hospital, should the current proposals be abandoned. Health Secretary Wes Streeting has included this hospital among a list of projects slated for review. Streeting had previously commented that while the government aimed to implement the New Hospital Programme, it was deemed “undeliverable, unaffordable, and estimated costs had risen by billions.”